Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park

Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park

Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park is located in the northwest of Xinghua, primarily concentrated in Lizhong Town and Zhoufen Township, covering a total area of 1,304.8 hectares, with a current wetland area of 1,268.56 hectares, making the wetland coverage rate 97.22%.

In January 2017, the "General Plan for Jiangsu Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park" was officially approved after review and public announcement by the State Forestry Administration. Once completed, the Lixia River Wetland Park is expected to achieve a wetland protection rate of 87.75%, becoming a model national wetland park in the lower reaches of the Huai River, characterized by the protection of marsh wetlands.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, driven by the pursuit of grain production, people began reclaiming land around lakes and marshes. In the 1980s, another round of lake reclamation took place, gradually shifting the function of these water bodies towards aquaculture.

Remote sensing satellite images from 1988, 2000, and 2006 clearly show that in 1988, the area of natural marsh vegetation in the northwest of Xinghua was extensive and contiguous. By 2000, it had significantly shrunk and become highly fragmented; by 2006, only scattered patches remained.

The development of Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, from 2017 to 2019, aims to establish, within three years, a wetland park with distinctive regional cultural features and a strong thematic focus. The construction area will cover approximately 1,067.6 hectares, accounting for 81.82% of the total park area.

The second phase will take place from 2020 to 2021, spanning two years, with the construction focused on the restoration and reconstruction areas on the east side of Lixi River and the west side of Susong Central River. The construction area will cover about 237.2 hectares. The main activities will include connecting fishpond water systems, reshaping the terrain, creating shallow shoals, habitat islands, and other diverse ecological features, restoring herbaceous marsh wetlands, reviving the marsh landscape characteristic of the Lixia River region, and rehabilitating wildlife habitats.

Geographic Environment

Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park is located in the northwest of Xinghua, primarily concentrated in Lizhong Town and Zhoufen Township, covering a total area of 1,304.8 hectares, with a current wetland area of 1,268.56 hectares, making the wetland coverage rate 97.22%. These forested marshes provide the last remaining habitat for birds and wildlife. Without timely protection, biodiversity will decline severely, affecting water quality, flood discharge and retention capacity, and ultimately the entire ecosystem.

Functional Zones

The wetland park is divided into five functional zones.

According to the plan, Xinghua Lixia River National Wetland Park is divided into five functional zones: Wetland Conservation Area, Restoration and Reconstruction Area, Education and Exhibition Area, Rational Use Area, and Management Service Area.

The Wetland Conservation Area is designated to protect wildlife habitats, along with the original provincial wetland park conservation zone, while also conducting related ecological monitoring. The Restoration and Reconstruction Area mainly includes most of the fishponds within the wetland park, which will be transformed into expansive herbaceous marsh zones by removing embankments and reconnecting water systems, providing habitats for wetland animals. The Education and Exhibition Area is located in both the southern and northern parts of the park, focusing on wetland science education and outreach. The Rational Use Area is split into northern and southern sections: the southern part emphasizes eco-leisure activities in forested marsh wetlands with limited tourism offerings, while the northern part focuses on ecological aquaculture, showcasing the traditional fishing and farming culture of the Lixia River region to visitors.